IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY - MARRYING MAIDEN (COLUMBIA 1970) Japan mastering cardboard sleeve

After their wonderful debut from 1969, Linda LaFlamme left replaced by Fred Webb. Here, the songs tend to be softer and shorter than on their debut, and also more eclectic. There's a few stinkers on this album as well, like "The Dolphins", but some great songs like "Essence of Now", "Soapstone Mountain", and "Good Lovin'". Two songs features Jerry Garcia on pedal steel, "Hoedown" and "It Comes Right Down To You", which have, not surprisingly a country-ish flavor, especially since the Dead did release two country-ish albums at the same time, Workingman's Dead and American Beauty. It's strange that Marrying Maiden should be It's a Beautiful Day's best selling album even though it's not as good as their first.,,[net]
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From the sharp opening bars of Don and Dewey to the end, this album is comprised of some of the best music.
Listening to it, you get a firm essence of the late sixties - Haight Ashbury sound but with an added dose of sophistication and perfection.
No one can possibly listen to ESSENCE OF NOW and not be hit by the haunting music and the lyrical, unforgettable words.
This album stays with you for some time after hearing it and any serious rock or blue grass fan should have a copy for their library...[net]
Here
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& here is a link to the first IABD album also in the same Jap reissue series...thanks to a blog's friend out there...
First Album